Hospitality & Tourism

Saudi Arabia issues first marina operator licenses in Yanbu and Al-Lith

By licensing these new marinas, Saudi Arabia also aims to improve infrastructure and promote sustainable tourism along the Red Sea coast

Saudi Arabia’s Hail region receives nearly 1.1 million tourists in first half of 2024

This total includes around 170,000 international travelers and more than 907,000 domestic visitors 

Saudi Arabia drives coastal tourism growth, issues first six licenses for tourist yacht agents

SRSA aims to cultivate a dynamic coastal tourism sector that contributes to realizing the goals of Vision 2030

Saudi Arabia launches new destinations, bold innovations at World Travel Market 2024

Saudi Arabia’s presence highlights the growing interest from European and American travelers as a winter sun destination

Red Sea Global secures $1.5 billion for AMAALA infrastructure

This funding was secured by a consortium led by EDF Group and Masdar, alongside Korea East-West Power Company and SUEZ Company

Top performing airports in Saudi Arabia highlighted in new GACA report

GACA employs a transparent method for performance evaluation by categorizing airports according to their annual passenger volumes

Riyadh Season 2024 attracts 2 million visitors in first week, says GEA chairman

Season features five main areas: Boulevard World, Kingdom Arena, Boulevard City, The Venue and Al-Suwaidi Park

Saudi Tourism Authority boosts global presence with new China campaign to attract visitors

Saudi Travel Expo in China featured interactive sections highlighting the beauty of tourism destinations in Diriyah, Al-Ula, and Al-Baha

Madinah welcomes over 14 million visitors in 2023, spending surges to $13.24 billion

Efforts to improve accommodation, hospitality, transportation and health services have played a crucial role in this expansion

Saudi Red Sea Authority aims to draw 19 million tourists to the coast by 2030: Report

The report highlights the sector's contribution to economic diversification, investment attraction, revenue generation, and job creation 

Saudi Arabia’s inbound visitor spending reaches $24.6 billion in H1 2024, travel account surplus at $11 billion

This rise in visitor spending highlights the substantial advancements made within the tourism sector

SRSA, ICOMIA sign MoU to advance coastal tourism in the Red Sea 

The collaboration seeks to foster partnerships with prominent international organizations, and attract investment to the Red Sea Region

Saudi, Azerbaijan sign MoU for mutual exemption from visa requirements for diplomatic and special passport holders

Both countries explored ways to strengthen bilateral ties and reviewed recent developments in regional and international contexts 

Saudi Arabia sees 73 percent surge in tourist arrivals, 207 percent rise in revenues

This year, the Kingdom saw 17.5 million international tourist arrivals

Wizz Air launches direct route from London Gatwick to Jeddah with Airbus A321XLR

The new London Gatwick to Jeddah route will operate daily year-round, starting 31 March 2025 

Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry launches smart gates at NEOM Bay Airport

Initiative is part of Saudi Arabia's efforts to enhance the quality of life by implementing high-efficiency digital solutions in Saudi cities

Saudi Arabia surpasses target of 100 million visitors seven years ahead of schedule: IMF

Saudi Arabia is now earning more from international visitors than it is spending on outbound tourism, shifting service balance to a surplus

Royal Commission for AlUla partners with Jordan’s Petra National Trust to preserve ancient monuments, landmarks

Agreement encompasses promoting education and community engagement in history, human heritage, and heritage preservation

Saudi Arabia enhances air connectivity with new direct flight route from Riyadh to London

Saudi Minister of Tourism oversaw agreement between Air Connectivity Program and Virgin Atlantic Airlines

Saudia expands Indonesia network, launches four direct weekly flights to Medan

Saudia celebrated the inaugural flight to Medan with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah

Jeddah Season 2024 attracts 1.7 million visitors to 52-day cultural and entertainment extravaganza

The season invited visitors to explore Jeddah's historic UNESCO site, preserving 400 years of ancient social life

Tourism spending in Saudi Arabia exceeds $37 billion in 2023

GCC tourists injected over $4 billion into the economy last year, with Bahrain being the top source market